The present invention relates to coolers, and, more particularly, to display coolers for beverage containers.
Display coolers for individual beverage containers on ice are widely employed at consumer point of purchase locations to entice consumers into an impulse purchase of the beverage product within the cooler, and in promotional applications. The standard cooler has one graphic image that is wrapped around the side of the cooler and generally promotes the product which is in the cooler. The primary advantage of the standard display cooler is that it is relatively easily transported and inexpensive in comparison to display refrigerators. In addition, the standard display cooler does not require utility hookups, and simply places the beverage containers in ice cubes to cool the beverage.
Although they are commonly insulated, the ice in the standard display cooler eventually melts and creates an "ice water bath." Separate labels often become soaked and peel from glass beverage containers floating in the ice water bath which results in the ice water becoming cloudy therefrom. The visual appeal of the displayed beverage diminishes significantly when the beverage container appears to be floating in a cloudy ice water bath. It is also considered less sanitary to float beverage containers in ice water baths than to intermix them with ice alone.
In order to avoid the formation of an ice water bath, some display coolers are provided with continuous drainage. However, a permanent drainage hook-up increases the cost of the unit and decreases its locatability.
One solution, which does not require a permanent drain hook-up, is to drain the water into a reservoir which is located within the display cooler. Although an integral reservoir eliminates the problem of the ice water bath, it involves certain tradeoffs. Firstly, creating a separate reservoir within the display cooler often results in decreasing the volume of the cavity which holds the beverage containers and ice. As a result of this tradeoff, reservoirs are often made small and require frequent drainage to permit draining from the area about the beverage containers and prevent water overflow.
Another drawback with current display cooler reservoirs is that they will not drain properly if the drain hose for the reservoir is held higher than the water level in the reservoir. The standard practice is to drain the contents of the reservoir into a 21/2-5 gallon pail and carry it away to be discarded. The height of the pail makes it necessary to locate the cooler reservoir higher than the top of the pail in order for gravity to drain it properly. The drain hose height in the side of the cooler also dictates the height of the pail which may be used to drain the cooler. The larger is the pail size, the higher is the drain hose location, and the higher is the drain hose location, the less volume there is in the cooler available for beverage containers.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a novel display cooler for beverage containers and ice which is effective to drain water from the recess holding the ice and beverage containers into an integral reservoir.
It is also an object to provide such a cooler which has an expandable reservoir compartment.
Another object is to provide a reservoir drain which will operate effectively when the outlet of the drain hose is higher than the water level in the reservoir.
Still another object is to provide such a display in which an additional graphic image area appears as the ice melts and the reservoir volume is expanded.
A further object is to provide such a display which is lightweight and easily transported.
Still yet another object is to provide such a display cooler which can be manufactured relatively easily and economically.